Bess Streeter Aldrich Books in Order

Bess Streeter Aldrich is a celebrated Nebraska author, renowned for her captivating storytelling and insightful portrayals of Midwestern life. With a distinguished writing career spanning nearly five decades, she has published an impressive body of work, including over 100 short stories, nine novels, one novella, two books of short stories, and one omnibus. Her writing is characterized by a strong emphasis on family values and an unwavering dedication to accurately recording the history of pioneering families in the Midwest. Aldrich's notable works have been adapted into film and television, including the movie "Cheers for Miss Bishop" and the television show "The Gift of Love," which was inspired by her short story "The Silent Stars Go By." A highly accomplished educator, she graduated from Iowa State Normal School in 1901 and went on to earn an advanced degree in 1906. Her academic pursuits were followed by a successful teaching career and a marriage to Charles Sweetzer Aldrich in 1907. The couple, along with Aldrich's sister, Clara, and her brother-in-law, John Cobb, later founded the American Exchange Bank in Elmwood, Nebraska, which would become the setting for many of her stories and books. A talented and prolific writer, Aldrich's passion for storytelling was evident from a young age, having won her first writing prize at fourteen and another at seventeen.